Steam-chest for steam-engines.



I A. B. CLARK. STEAM CHEST FOR-STEAM ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

A. B. CLARK.

STEAM'CHEST FOR STEAM ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, I915.

Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

2 SHEETS-$HEET 2.

i To all whom it may concern:

nia'rr in s res tantra ANTHGNY B. CLARK, F OELWEIN, IOWA.

STEAM-CHEST FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

Application filed June 7, 1815. Serial No. 32,529.

- for Steam-Engineaof which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of my specification.

My invention relates to a steam-chest, which is illustrated as especially adapted to the use of an inside admission pistonvalve for the distribution of steam, of simple and effective construction and which may be readily applied to steam engine cylinders previously provided with the ordinary type of slide valves.

One object of my invention is to provide a steam-chestpreferably comprislng a smgle or one piece casting, either of cast iron or cast steel, adapted to be secured to the.

flat valve surface of the cylinder in any convenient manner, as, for example, by

studs,'-so as to permit the steam or valvechest to be readily detachable.

Another object of my invention, is to provide a steam or valve-chest which may be adapted to the use of any construction of inside admission piston-valve, and wherein the steam passages or ports are arranged to register with the steam passages or ports of cylinders, adapted for the operation of ordinary slide-valves; the passages for the exhaust steam being arranged to extend from the ends of the steam-chest about the sides thereof, and preferably full length of the chest intermediate of the live steam passage and the outer wall of the chest, so asto provide an insulation for the live steam passage in the chest; the passage being so arranged, however, as to connect with the exhaust port of a flat slide-valve type of cylinder.

Another object of my invention is j to provide a construction adapted to the use of a piston-valve wherein the wear of the valve and valve-seats will be greatly obviated; the pressure due to frictional resistance,encountered in the slide-valve cylinder type reduced; and at the same time providing a construction wherein the packing of the valve is removed beyond the action of the live steam.

Furthermore, my invention enables the use of larger steam-ports thanis possible or practicable with the slide-valve type, with-' out, however, placing unnecessary strain upon the valve-gear; the construction pre- A the application of my improved steam-chest.v

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional plan view of my improved steam-chest'with the valve and valve-bushings removed; the view being taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of thearrows. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view, taken on the line 4+4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 is a transverse view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

In the particular exemplification of my invention, as illustrated in the drawings, the invention is shown applied to the cylinder 10 which is provided with the usual flat gvalve-face previously intended for the operation of the ordinary flat slide-valve; the invention, as i11ustrated,'disclosing what is known as aninside admission pistonwalve which is especially adapted for use inconnection with a locomotive employing superheated steam. The steam is conveyed to the i steam-chest by means of steam-pipe 11, shown located inside of the smoke-box 12, and connected withfthe steam-chest 13 by means of the outside connection 14, see Fig. 2, instead of employing the live steam pascasting 15- and cylinder 10, and w ich are sages 10, 10* extending through thli saddle shown provided with the transverse induc-. tion and eduction passages or ports 17, 17

and the intermediate exhaust passage or port 18. The ports or passages 17 17 of the is f'ivan v3. J as I msi erwf with mix cyhndrim central .4 bang hast, frmn W3? 7 111m uitabl a heads and 3' JIQQ 1n pine-a warm bys cover the ports 22 in'bushing'21 at the left of the chest, thereby establishin cation with the ports 17 and 1 j at the left-' hand end of both the chest and the cylinder, respectively. This will permit the exhaust steam to pass upward through ports 17, 17, channel 20 and out through the ports 22 of the bushing into the left-hand end 36 of the steam-chest. The exhaust steam then passes from the end 36 into the circumferential passages 34 in the Wall of the steamchest, flowing toward the center of the chest and thence into the port 18 which communicates with port 18, from whence the exhaust steam passesinto the atmosphere in the usual manner.

Reversing the stroke'of the piston-valve, will, of course, cause steam to be admitted at the left-hand end. of the cylinder and exhaust to enter the steam-chest at the righthand end.

By reason of the construction shown and described, the exhaust steam substantially surrounds or incases the live steam space .or chamber in the steam-chest, and provides insulation therefor, whereby condensation of the live steam will be greatly reduced.

As is evident from the construction shown and described, the valve-rod packing 32-is also removed from the live steam pressure, so that a much more efficient steam chest is provided.

As is apparent from the construction, my improved steam-chest, having the exhauststeam passages andports arranged as described, permits of its adaptation to locomotives equipped with the ordinary slide-valve cylinders Without the necessity of replacingsaid cylinders with cylinders of the pistonvalve type, thus enabling the locomotive to be changed from one employingsaturated steam, controlled by ordinary slide-valves. to a superheated steam-type employing inside admission piston-valves. I

My improved construction also enables I the use of much larger steam-ports than would be practicable with the slide-valve construction, without, however, placing unnecessary strain upon the valve-gear. Furthermore, with my improved co11struction,.. comparatively large and free openings aie provided on the exhaust side of the valve, with the consequent result that back pres; sure in the cylinder is materially reduced.

The construction, herein shown and described, also enables abetter distribution of, lubrication, so that Wear of the valve and its seats will not only be materially overcome, but the loss of pressure, due to frictional re-' sistance, reduced. 7

I have shown and described whatI believe to bathe best form' of'rny invention, wherein the steam is admitted to the steamchest by means of the connection or port 23'; ant it is apparent that the steam-chamber.

communil i said casting being adapted to receive an inside admission type of piston-valve, said casting being also provided with steam-passages connected with the ends of the casting and extending longitudinally in the side walls thereof and communicating With said intermediate port. 2. As an article of manufacture, a steamchest comprisingan integral casting adapted to receive a piston-valve and provided With steam passages or ports ,in the bottom Wall thereof adapted to register with the ports of a slide-valveftype of cylinder, and having steam passages extending longitudi-- nally' in the side walls of the casting intermediate of the inner. and outer surfaces thereof and terminating in a single downwarez presented exhaust port.

casting adapted to receive a piston-valve and provided with a Hat lower flanged sur face, the lower surface being provided with a pair-of induction and eduction ports and an intermediate exhaust port arranged to steam-chest comprisingan integral register with the ports of a slide-valve type i of cylinder, said casting being provided with an inlet port, and Withexhaust steam passages extending longitudinally in the side walls of the casting. and communicating-centrally with the exhaust portin the lower. surface of the castin l 4. A steam-chest for ste in engines, comprising anintegral casti g having a flat lower surface adapted to be secured to the fiat ported surface of a flat slide valve type of cylinder, said lower surface being provided with a pair of induction and eduction port'sand an intermediate exhaust port arranged to register with the ports of the cylinder, said casting being provided with an inlet port arranged intermediate of its ends, and with passages extending longitudinally in the sidewalls of the casting, communieating with the casting interior at the ends thereof, said longitudinal passages terminating in a single downwardly presented passage communicating with the exhaust port;

5. A steam-chest for steam engines, com- -presented exhaust port arranged intermediate of the induction and eduction ports,

allof said ports being arranged to register with the ports in the fiat valve face of a slide-valve type cylinder. 1

14. A steam-chest for locomotives and the like, comprising a casting provided with a valve-chamber extending longitudinally therethrough, a steam-inlet arranged centrally between the ends ofthe valve-chamber, circumferential steam-channels formed 'on the inner periphery of the casting on opposite sides of said steam-inlet, bushings provided with ports arranged in the valve chamber intermediate of the steam-inlet and the ends of said chamber, means whereby the ports of the bushings are brought to register with said circumferential channels, induc-. tion and eduction ports arranged in the bot tom of the casting and in communication with said channels, exhaust passages arranged in the side walls of theca'sting and communicating with both ends of the valvechamber, said exhaust passages "extending to a centralpoint of the casting and ter minating in a single port extending through the bottom of the casting intermediate of the induction and eduction ports, in combination with an inside admission pistonvalve arranged to confine the live steam intermediate of the ends thereof, said pistonvalve being arranged to establish communication through its interior 'forthe exhaust steam. 15. In-combination with a slide-valve type cylinder, a steam-chest provided with an steam-inlet intermediate of its ends, stea1nchannels arrangedon opposite sides of said inlet and terminating in induction and eduction ports adapted to register with the induction and eduction ports of the cylin der, exhaust passages arranged in the walls of the steam-chest and communicating with both ends of the chest, said exhaust passages cominunicating at a central point and terminating in an exhaust port intermed ate of the induction and eduction ports and adapted to register with the exhaust port of the cylinder, and means for detachably securing the steam-chest to the valve face of the cylinder.

16. A steam-chest for locomotives and the like, comprising'a casting having a flat faced bottom, provided with a valve-chamber extending longitudinally therethrough, asteam-inlet communicating at a central point with the valve-chamber, circumferential steam-channels arranged on the inner periphery of the casting on each side of said steam-inlet, induction and eduction ports arranged in the bottom of said casting and communicating with said channels, said, ports terminating in the. flat face of the casting, segmental exhaust steam passages arranged in'the side walls of the casting and extending from end to end, said passages havingcommunication with both ends of the valve-chamber and terminating at a central point in a downwardly presented exhaust" port, means for injecting lubricant adjacent the steam-inlet, point/of the valve chamber, and means for detachably securing the steam-chest on the'flat valve face of a slide-valve type cylinder. I

17. A steam-chest for locomotives and the like, comprising an integral casting having a flat faced bottom providedwith induction and. eduction ports and an exhaust port arranged to communicate with the ports of a slide-valve type of cylinder, said casting 7 being provided with a steam inlet, and with ingwith the exhaust port in the bottom face of the casting, in combination with a piston valve comprising a hollow open ended cylindrical portion adapted to confine the live steam intermediate of the ends of said cylindrical portion and the inner walls of .the steam-chest while the exhaust steam has free passage through said cylindrical portion of the valve from end to end of the steam-chest. I

ANTHONY B. CLARK.

Witnesses:

F. A. FnoRnLL, GEORGE IIEIDMAN. 

